The Breitling Watch Source Forums

Do any of you catch any flack or feel that people think its weird that you are a WIS? I feel like my girlfriend and family kind of make fun of me because of my interest in watches. They always wonder why I always know what is on peoples wrists and how much it is etc etc. I'm often told by them that it is a meaningless thing to be so interested in.

My most common response is comparing it to people who are into cars. I enjoy the mechanics behind it and the craftsmanship as well. Especially the aesthetics.


Idk, I feel as though if you are not a WIS its hard to understand what so interesting about watches.

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"Don't Touch The Watch." - Patrick Bateman

It's a hobby and people who don't have a hobby don't get poeple who do. Or something like that.

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SHARKMAN

You know that in my country we speak spanish. I studied english many years but sometimes google translator helps me a lot.
I was searching the definition of WIS

Definitions of a Watch Idiot Savant
1- self trained to sleep in 5 positions with wearing his/her COSC certified chronometer in bed.
2- opens the back of a new Patek on the first day of acquisition and hand winds the rotor in tighten up the main spring.
3- takes the 200 meter water proof Seadweller off from the wrist and puts it into the deepest pocket before walking into a storm without any rain gear.
4- waits every 60 minute in front of a radio controlled clock all weekend in order to adjust all his/her 14 mechanical watches to the accuracy within -2/+2 seconds per 24 hours.
5- spends $500 plus on polish equipment and materials and works 20 hours in order to refinish a $200 worth SS bracelet.
6- has a annual budget of $500 on the purchase of a new watch and posts the question on the Timezone forum "which one is better? a Rolex or a TAG?"
7- wears a triple date chronograph with moon phase everyday, but cannot even tell time from the basic hour and minute hands on the dial without a pair of reading glasses.
8- memorizes all serial numbers of the watches made in the past 60 years but keeps forgetting the wedding anniversary.

1- NO, I sleep with my Breitlings, but not in 5 positions
2- NO, I only open cheap or old watches
3- NO
4- Sometimes
5- I must say Yes beacuse I buy bracelets and rubber strap and use the strap afraid of scratching a nice bracelet
6- Breitling is the best.
7- I don't use my Olympus
8- ...

No, I'm not a WIS. I love mechanical/automatic watches.

Some people are always of the mindset, either "How can you possibly enjoy something I have no interest in?" or "How can you possibly not be interested in something I enjoy?" or both. These are both variations of "Why isn't everyone like me?", which is stupid. As long as someone's hobby isn't destroying their life, illegal, patently offensive, or harming others, it shouldn't be a problem.



Interest in art and artistic behavior are instrinsic to the human experience. People will say watches are stupid, in the meantime they spend hours going to concerts, going to wine tastings, and polishing their old Camaro. How hypocritical. Any normal person engages in artistic behavior on a daily basis. Meanwhile, if they're criticizing artistic things you like, then they're obviously not thinking about what they're saying.

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[Witty signature here]

The main reason for peoples criticism towards my interest/hobby with watches is the expense. I feel that most people who don't understand everything about the watch besides the price tag believe that people buy expensive watches just to say they have an expensive watch. As if owning a deep sea sea dweller is a status symbol more than owning it because of the extraordinary engineering feat. In most cases i'm sure watch companies make most of their money due to people buying for a status and not because "this model came just came out with a flyback function"!

So how do you separate yourself from the image of a being status buyer to being a watch lover/aficionado/enthusiast?

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"Don't Touch The Watch." - Patrick Bateman

I think that there are a few different things at play here. I'll freely confess to being a WIS, and there are aspects of that that many people find cool. The idea that I am learning watchmaking is always a talking point and no one has ever suggested that it was a strange and bizarre thing to do - unusual, yes, but then I am proud of the fact that I am an individual in many aspects of my life - I have no interest in keeping up with anyone.

I am an avid reader and student of things related to watches and last year I spent some time writing some articles on different aspects for this site. The responses were broadly positive, but I also received some rather negative responses about them being a waste of time, people not being interested, etc so I haven't done anything similar for a while - clearly writing them was a 'WIS" thing, but I think some people on here didn't 'get' it and just saw it as an attempt to have people massage my ego.

In terms of the watches themselves, I get a lot of comments, and some people definitely don't understand - I don't tell people what I spend on watches, so they are forming their own conclusions, but to some people $20 on a watch is too much because you don't 'need' a watch these days. I can understand that sentiment - I feel similarly about my every day car - I have a long commute so put a lot of kilometres on my vehicles so beyond a certain level of comfort and safety I see no point in spending huge amounts of money on something that will be essentially worthless in 3 - 5 years with the driving I do. That said, I don't criticise people that do choose to spend on that type of car - I'll do the same for a summer / weekend car, and I don't expect to be criticised by people who don't get the watch thing.

I have some pocket watches and people often don't understand that as they aren't particularly practical today - although some people assume that I wear them on chains to formal occasions. When I explain about the artisitc side (both in terms of case and movement) then there tends to be broader understanding.

Perhaps the biggest criticism that I get (and I hear it here sometimes as well) is about the size of a collection. I choose not to share all my watches, but I have shared enough that people here have some sense of what I own, and obviously people who see me regularly or visit my home get some idea as well. I think that there is a line that can be crossed where a WIS stops being a collector and starts being a hoarder, and I don't think that I am anywhere close to that. However some people have suggested that I need to sell watches to get to a regular rotation of watches rather than some that are only worn a few times a year, and on occasion there have been some very negative comments.

The people I care about understand my passion for watches - at least in terms of having an interest that I enjoy and that helps to balance a very busy work life, and I don't much care what other people think

Very good points made by everyone. and the point is that yes....WIS is a strange hobby to some, but no more strange than stamp collecting or some other hobby. Lucky for us, our collectibles get to leave the house with us everyday.

Beyond that...Most are going to assume a high dollar watch is bought for status reasons. It is just human nature for someone who is unfamiliar to go straight to that conclusion. If i choose to enlighten this confused soul is up to me. For some folks...I could care less whether they think I am an ego maniac with a status symbol watch. However other folks may get the pleasure of hearing my ramblings about WIS, and see why I am interested in pursuing this life.

All in all...It is a great interest to have, and certainly not something anyone can read too much in to. It isn't like you are collecting nazi memorabilia, so let the folks who don't understand and who you are indifferent towards keep thinking it is vanity. For the loved ones...they will just chock it up to different strokes for different folks.

"Haterz shake my hand but I keep the sanitizer on deck"

I know people who feel just the same. Sometimes they're negative about it, often dont understand it but most importantly they do let me be. It's a very personal thing watches I've found. We see timepieces as far more than just functional time-telling devices. Funnily enough when I start talking about the mechanics of a watch, people actually get really interested and then realise that it's more than just a device for me, it's more like a hobby.

Each to their own in my opinion. Other people are into cars, sport, reading or travel etc and it's okay if they don't get the watch thing

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Happines is Good Health and a Bad Memory.
"Ingrid Bergman"